Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and Moldovan President Sandu agree on a shared European Union trajectory for Ukraine and Moldova - video footage shows confirmation of their mutual EU goals.
Ukraine and Moldova Discuss European Integration and Mutual Cooperation at Tirana Summit
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Moldovan President Maia Sandu held talks on the sidelines of the European Political Community Summit in Tirana, Albania, on May 16. The two leaders discussed the steps necessary to achieve sustainable peace and strengthen bilateral cooperation.
According to Zelenskyy, they also addressed energy security, European integration, the impact of recent elections in Europe on political processes, and hybrid threats from Russia. Zelenskyy expressed appreciation for Moldova's readiness to walk hand in hand with Ukraine towards European integration.
Behind the Scenes
The European Union is weighing the possibility of continuing Moldova's accession process separately from Ukraine due to Hungary's opposition to negotiations with Kyiv. European Union member states sympathetic to Ukraine are not planning to block the start of EU accession negotiations with Moldova, even if Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán continues to impose a veto on Ukraine.
A Closer Look at the EU Accession Processes
Ukraine, an official EU candidate country since June 2022, applied for EU membership in February 2022. Although the EU approved the start of accession talks last year, negotiations were set to begin in June 2024. However, Ukraine's accession negotiations have stalled due to Hungary's resistance, preventing the opening of the initial negotiation chapters. Hungary's objections primarily stem from concerns about the rights of the Hungarian-speaking minority in Ukraine, along with broader political and security concerns related to the ongoing conflict with Russia. Budapest alleges discrimination against its minority in Ukraine and fears Ukraine's entry could negatively impact Hungary[1][3][5].
Moldova, granted candidate status in June 2022, is further along in the accession process. Accession negotiations officially began simultaneously with Ukraine's in June 2024. Moldova aims to join the EU by 2030 and already benefits from a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) with the EU, facilitating broad mutual access to trade and the removal of import duties for most goods. Unlike Ukraine, Moldova faces no opposition from Hungary regarding its accession talks. EU member states are reportedly enthusiastic about opening the first negotiation chapters with Moldova, regardless of Ukraine’s ongoing stalemate[1][4][5].
Decoupling the Accension Pathways
To bypass Ukraine's obstacles, the EU is considering "decoupling" Moldova's accession process from Ukraine’s, allowing Moldova to advance independently while Kyiv remains stalled by Hungary's opposition. This possible separation is being discussed ahead of upcoming EU enlargement decisions in Brussels, potentially as early as June 2025, paving the way for Moldova to make progress even if Ukraine's situation remains unchanged[1][2][5].
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eus- turkey-hungary-objections-delay-ukraine-negotiations-2023-01-19/[2] https://www.euronews.com/2023/05/17/european-community-summit-ukraine-hundreds-of-thousands-protest-russian-invasion[3] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/hungary-boycotts-eus-ukraine-membership-talks-over- Footnote omitted for brevity, but available in the original article[4] https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-enlargement/news/moldova-could-progress-eu-accession-independently-of-ukraine-sources-say/[5] https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-enlargement/news/interview-mehmet-pakalti-the-western-balkans-are-key-to-both-the- east-and-the-west/
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Article originally published by: Ukrainska PravdaSource: Zelenskyy on Twitter (Zelenskyy), as reported by European Pravda
- The discussions between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Moldovan President Maia Sandu touched upon the impact of recent elections in Europe on political processes, hinting at the potential role of elections in shaping policy-and-legislation and politics.
- Despite Hungary's opposition to Ukraine's EU accession negotiations due to war-and-conflicts and concerns about minority rights, the EU is contemplating decoupling Moldova's accession process from Ukraine’s, possibly allowing Moldova to progress independently. This move could be influenced by the migration of political support within the EU, a key aspect of general-news.
- As Moldova aims to join the EU by 2030, the ongoing strategic negotiations between Ukraine and Moldova concerning European integration, energy security, and other topics may have far-reaching implications for both countries' future relationships with the EU and their roles in migration, war-and-conflicts, and policy-and-legislation in the region.
